Just like how important it is to start using anti-ageing skincare products while we are in our twenties, much emphasis to care for our overall health, hair and scalp is essential as well. This is all for the aim to age beautifully and with less/no health issues.

It is true only to a certain extent that frequent hair chemical procedures will lead to hair loss. In fact, it is the improper care, processes and unsuitable product usage that damages and weakens the hair, THUS leading to possible hair loss.

Thankfully, I have regular help and care despite the chemical treatments that I do regularly.

With that being said, does it mean that my hair is not prone to hair loss? Well, actually yes, but it will be due to other factors caused by myself. Hence, I have only myself to blame, if I start to have a hair loss problem one day. And if that happens, I am very sure that I will feel less confident as I have been wearing my hair proudly, with full crowning glory all these years.

With much guilt, let me share with you the six ‘Super-No-No’ things that I do but should not, which may result in a probable case of hair loss in future... And how to prevent and/reduce the chance of it happening.

6 REASONS WHY I MAY

HAVE HAIR LOSS IN FUTURE

1. Emotional Stress

One type of stress-related hair loss is the telogen effluvium, where emotional stress from relationships, family and jobs, may trigger a certain number of hair follicles into their ‘resting phase’, to stop growing, and to even fall out in greater number than usual as weeks and months pass. Luckily, this can be reversed by not being stressed, duh! One way to handle stress is to have better time management, and to spend more time in meditation and exercising. This reminds me that it is high time that I should take up yoga or some gym classes soon.

2. Insufficient Sleep

In today’s fast-paced society, sleep comes after work and you may not get that 8-hours sleep and you look like a walking zombie with heavy eyebags day in, day out. Less sleep means that your body’s immune system goes haywire and becomes weak. Your hair roots get weaker too, leading to hair loss, and eventually baldness! Go get that beauty rest now!

3. Unbalanced/Unhealthy Diet

If you are someone who goes by the motto “Live to Eat” just like me, be warned that your food habits may cause probable hair loss if there is a lack of PROTEINS, IRON and VITAMIN B in your diet. Afterall, ‘You are what you eat’. Start having a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, lean protein (fish, meat, eggs), “good” fats like avocado and nuts, and last of all - Consume less junk food and drinks as being low in nutritional value and high in calories, they contribute significantly to high sodium and low iron issues in your body that leads to hair loss. Go easy on your potato chips now, will you?

4. Hair Styling Habits

Never tried using a vacuum cleaner to get a ponytail but I do have a penchant to tie my hair into a bun or ponytail. This actually creates stress for the hair and may cause hair fall (traction alopecia). The best way is to let your hair loose, otherwise try doing a loose or low ponytail/bun/braids.

5. Use of Hair Styling Tools

As much as I try to reduce the use of hair curlers and straighteners so as to not damage the hair shaft and hamper hair growth, I cannot help but to blowdry my hair every other day (which is a culprit of causing that as well). WHY? Firstly, I like how my hair looks neat and tidy when properly blown-dry and combed. Next, I have such thick tresses that it takes about two hours to have it fully air-dried and I do not have that much time to sit around and wait for that to happen. But high heat from the hair dryer can actually dry the scalp and remove natural oil from hair strands, resulting in dry and brittle hair. Hence, do not use a hair dryer on high heat and on dried hair, and try to use cool hair when blow-drying.

6. Swimming Without Wearing a Swimming Cap

Sometimes on my Instastories, you will see me swimming or in the jacuzzis. I may be wearing the most beautiful bikini ever, but one gear I am lacking is the swimming cap. Aesthetically, I rate it at 1, on a scale of 1 to 10. But on a practical note, I rate it as 10. Only mermaids can get away without wearing one, in my opinion. Other than keeping one’s hair off the face while swimming, its most important purpose is to keep chlorinated water out of the hair. Chlorine eliminates germs and bacteria in the swimming pools, and ‘excels’ in eating away the living hair follicle tissues which leaves hair weak and brittle.

If you find swimming cap unaesthetically-pleasing like me and will rather drown than to be spotted wearing one, the best solution would be to:

(1) Rinse your hair with non-chlorinated water before and after each pool session as it acts as a barrier between your tresses and the chlorinated water;

I do not wish to divulge this piece of information, but I spotted a total of 3 grey hair strands in recent weeks, and wait… It’s happening despite being in my 20s??! My heart is breaking! Then I learnt from information found on a webpage that "premature hair greying may be due to an unclean scalp and an unbalanced diet of Vitamin B, Iron, Copper and Iodine". Now I am feeling more relieved!

So all I have to do from now on is to start cultivating good hair care habits and start concocting some of the natural herbal recipes found on the said webpage: http://www.beijing101hair.com/tips.php. Maybe it will help me, afterall all these tips are provided by Beijing 101 - A haircare professional firm with years of history and success stories. To reduce the chance of hair loss, I will start to care for my hair the natural and healthy way, as well as to care for my personal health and well-being as well. Join me on this journey too!

*Disclaimer: This is an advertorial post, but all opinions remain my own*